Starfleet Leadership Academy
TNG: Encounter at Farpoint
Listen on
Episode notes
In this episode, Jeff Akin reviews the characters, produciton, and direction of Star Trek The Next Generation: Encounter at Farpoint. With focus, Jeff looks into the different facets of Jean-Luc Picard and the type of leader that he is. From this pilot, we’ll get to see his character that a lot of leaders today, in whatever field, can definitely take notes from. He’s stoic but also able to warm up and display care. Supremely confident but can also admit to his mistakes and mend. And even though Picard draws out nothing but the soundest best from his comrades in the toughest situations, a general thing to do by captains, his leadership pushes him to get in between danger and his people if needed to.
Listen to the episode and join Jeff as he talks about Captain Picard, what we can learn from him, and everything else in between.
He Stands Up and Sits Down
Ballsy is a word that Jeff describes Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the many interactions he’s shared with Encounter at Farpoint’s main characters. In one scene, where the enterprise is halted by a mysterious force that Troi was able to pick up earlier from the situation, Captain Picard carries himself to meet the threat that is Q, who proceeds to extinguish and freeze one officer. Picard then handles this display of power with unshaken confidence and stance as he continues to stand right up to Q, flashing leadership and questioning him.
In another circumstance up against Q, this time as their Judge, Picard boldly faces humanity’s alleged crimes of savagery as Troi, Data, and Yar’s representative. In a post-apocalyptic court setting, wherein they’re held in front of blood clamoring people and securities armed with guns, a legal overseer named Bailiff orders Picard’s party to all stand as criminals – to which Picard responds to with a cold stare before shortly sitting down. Even when their most basic and bare being as humans is being questioned, Picard can present himself sure and collected.
Listen more to what Jeff has to say about Picard’s character as a leader in the Starfleet Leadership Academy Podcast!
About Starfleet Leadership Academy:
Star Trek is full of great examples of leadership. Jeff Akin, a leader with over 20 years of executive management experience in both the public and private sectors, breaks down each episode of Star Trek, from The Original Series to Discovery and beyond, pointing out examples of great leadership, management, lean/six-sigma, communication and more.
If you enjoy Star Trek, or are even a little Trek-curious, and have an appetite for leadership development, this is the podcast for you.
Outline of the episode:
● [04:54] Picard – calm and stoic. ● [08:42] How Picard handles Yar’s approach to the situation. ● [11:41] Q accuses the Human race of savagery and various crimes. ● [14:00] Introducing William Riker. ● [16:56] They’re trying really hard to make a big deal – what fell short? ● [17:53] Picard tests and pushes on Riker. ● [24:37] Troi is a half-betazoid. ● [28:13] A lot of stuff into a relatively short amount of time. ● [31:35] The feels of TOS – Was it to bridge the viewers of TOS? ● [35:21] On eating crow and being a leader. ● [37:00] The alien ship and Farpoint Station are space jellyfishes? ● [38:47] Thoughts on the episode – they didn’t have a good idea of…
Follow the fleet and connect through:
Website: https://sfla.pinecast.co/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SFLApodcast https://twitter.com/jefftakin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jefftakin/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jefftakin/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCebdT7xtm2237q0f857BBuw
Find and follow Starfleet Leadership Academy on all your favorite podcast streaming platforms!
Support and help improve the Starfleet Leadership Academy by: https://patreon.com/sfla